The loyal brother, or, The Persian prince a tragedy, as it is acted at the Theatre Royal by Their Majesties servants / by Thomas Southern.

SCENE Semanthe's Apartment.

Enter Tachmas, Semanthe, Lords.

Tach

O! why Semanthe, why these falling tears? I swear, my Love, not the last drops of life Just f••owing from my heart, are dearer to me, Than those rich pearls, that trickle from thy Eies. What on this joyful day! it must not be: Give me thy g••iefs, pour all thy sorrows here, He••e ••n my breast, and pant within my arms: Tho' f••••tune frown, and every star conspire, Y•••• w•• may love, Semanthe!

Sem.

O my Lord! What S••n ••hall see you mine? Is there no power Assisting to our love?

Tach.

My dearer sel••!

Let no sad thought poison this happy hour, The Gods have sent us to begin our joys. No, my Semanthe! we will never part: For ever thus, thus in each others arms, Ages shall see us flourish.

Sem.

Yes you shall For ever be believed; for my poor heart Wou'd fain be ••onded with the hopes of rest. Yet there is something here presages ill: Were our loves Scene a blissful, sylvan Grove, And we, the happy tenants of its shade; An humble rural pair, to all unknown, Plac't beneath Fortune's aim, we might be blest. But Oh! the storms, and tempests of a Court, The Rocks, the Quicksands, and tossing Seas, That love must venture through to gain its port, Foil the most resolute powers of my soul.

Enter Seliman unseen with Ismael, and Arbanes.

Selim.

There needs no more; Ismael, you retire, Whilst Arbanes attends me.

[Exit. Ismael.

Sem.

You know the Sophy long has sought my love; And tho' I swear I never will be his, Nor change the passion I have vow'd you long, For more than earth can give, or heaven bestow; Yet, O my Lord! my fears are great for you: What horrid consequence, what rash effect Of wildest fury ought we not to dread From him, who when he knows his happy rival, Has power to execute his fatal will?

Tach.

No my Semanthe! we are now secure From all the darts of Fortune: these my friends, Soon as I march to my new Government, Shall be your guard, and privately conveigh you To Georgia, which Province your brave Father Had govern'd long, and but with death resign'd: 'Tis now within my power, and I doubt not At sight of you, but we shall have those friends To join our cause, that my enable us To justifie our loves.

Lords.

In the publick name, We lay our lives, and fortunes at your feet,

Selim.

O! man me reason;

Res••rain the sallies of my starting passion, Which else will plung me in the gulph of madness.

Sem.

But if that gloomy minute shou'd approach, (Avert it heaven) when I am forc'd to loose you; (Forgive the Virgin fondness of my love) Where shou'd your poor Semanthe run for succour? Or shou'd I live to mourn your loss for ever?

Tach.

O stop not here! for ever bless my ears With the delightful story of thy love: My heart is ravish'd with excessive joy, Leaps in my breast, And dances to the musick of thy voice. O my Semanthe! let me die with rapture, Thus sigh my soul out on thy Virgin bosome, Thus press thee still, for ever hold thee to me, Emplying the hoarded treasure of my love, Till life be spent, and I fall pale before thee. What shall I say to speak thy wondrous vertue? My tongue forsakes me, when I wou'd go on, Uncapable to form my dazling thoughts, And I can only gaze, and still admire thee.

Seliman coming forward.

Selim.

Gaze on, devour her all; this look's thy last.

Sem.

O heavens! we are betraid.

Selim.

O wondrous modesty of guilt discover'd! Ingrateful Slave! I will not stoop to tell thee, How thou hast basely wrong'd thy friend, and brother. I did design thy death; but thank the powers, That have reviv'd expiring nature in me: But fly, be gone to death, or banishment; And all the publick offices you held By our permission, here we take agen: The general staff, Arbanes, now is thine.

Arb.

My service best will speak my gratitude.

Selim.

As Traitors to our Crown, and Life, your Heads

[To the Lords

Are forfeit to our Laws: but meet ignobler fates. Madam, your Sexes folly pleads your cause; But think on him no more; learn to forget A slave so much unworthy. Arbanes, thou attend upon Semanthe, And guard her, as thou wouldst thy life, away.

[Exit.

Tach.

If in my better fortune I have ever Deserv'd thy love, Grant me a parting minute with Semanthe; And in return, my life Shall be too short, to shew my gratitude.

Arb.

My Lord! the time requires a short farewel, And you must make it so: I know there are A thousand tender things for you to say, Unfit for me to hear: Therefore my Lord, the guards shall wait without.

Exit. with ••uards.

Tach.

Now my Semanthe!

Sem.

O my most lov'd Lord! Support me, for my spirits die within me, At the least mention of thy banishment.

Tach.

Look up my star, my shining happiness; Dart through the gloomy Winter of our ••ortune, And smile upon me: Let us deceive our miseries a while Talk of the joys of love, and never think Of parting; grief wi••l come too fast upon us.

Sem.

Methinks already in some ba••barous wild, Like a benighted Traveller, I walk; Vi••wing with watry Ei••s the sinking Sun, And night displaying her sad Ensigns round: No friendly Village near me, all before. A horrid maze of death, without a guide To chear my heavy steps; despair, and death! O wilt thou ne're return to glad my soul, And must we never, never meet agen!

Tach.

My souls last treasure! how I part from thee, How far above the world, I prize thy love, The Almighty searchers of the mind can tell: But since irrevocable fate has doom'd That I must ne're be happy; O hear my wish For thy content, and future peace of mind! —It matters not what shall become of me. When I am gone for ever from thy sight, Forget that wretched Tachmas ••ver was; O! think not on the wretch, for that will grieve thee: But give thy love to royal Seliman, Give him that Heart, that once was mine; those vows, That spotless faith thou gav'st to me: which (since 'Tis for your peace) you Gods! I here resign; Here on this Altar sigh you all away.

[Kissing her hand.

Sem.

O most unkind! why do you use me thus? Or wou'd you have me think you never lov'd, That thus you wish me from you?

Tach.

My love! My dearer self! thou miracle of woman! For what recorded story ever told One of thy Sex so fond of misery? Let ••s live wretched then, and ever love; So truly love, that the relenting Gods At last in justice may redress our wrongs, And bring us safe unto each others arms.

Sun.

O! if I ever prove untrue to Tachmas; May I resign my honor to a slave, Be branded a vile, common prostitute, And only known by the black marks of shame.

Tach.

O I cou'd hear thee ever: but thus resolv'd Let's try to part.

Sem.

O you must first begin; For my heart's fond, and sure to say farewel, Wou'd break it quite.

Tach.

Farewel Semanthe! witness all you Gods, To you I recommend this weighty charge: O guard her innocence, and secure her faith, (For sure she will be strongly tempted from me) That if our kinder stars shou'd guide me home, To these lov'd arms, our souls may meet in joy.

Sem.

My heart's exceeding heavy: falling tears Dazle my sight, and won't let me see you: O do not leave me yet!

Tach.

I must be gone: If I stay longer we are both undone; My Eies wou'd ever on that object dwell; —But we must part—farewel.

Sem.

Farewel—farewel.

[Exeunt.